Lily
- Lily
- born in 2012
- Femundløpet 2017, Finnmarksløpet 2018
- famous offsprings: Bandit, Angus, Olympus, Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Carbon
- retired from racing
- today puppy coach and tour guide
Nothing in the world can spoil Lily’s good mood. This native-born American from Alaska is always up for any kind of fun and her incredible endurance makes her one of the best dogs in the Team Petter Karlsson.
A Journey Across the Ocean
No other dog in our kennel had a longer journey to us than Lily. She was raised in Alaska by none other than Iditarod legend Mitch Seavey. Petter: “I don’t know how all the Seavey-dogs are, but I read their book and every time they are describing a good dog, then I am like ‘Ok, they are describing Lily.’” When Petter and Angela traveled to Alaska in 2016 for a breeding with Gaga, Lily quickly caught Petter’s attention. He asked Mitch about the price for Lily. Mitch was skeptical at first, thinking Petter wasn’t serious. But anyone who knows Petter knows that once he sets his mind to something, he doesn’t give up easily. However, in the end, they reached an agreement, and Lily became officially Swedish. But it wasn’t quite that simple after all.
They Didn’t Know Where She Was
Initially, Lily stayed in Alaska and continued her training with Dallas Seavey, the now six-time Iditarod winner. It was only several months later that she was flown to Sweden via cargo. Petter and Angela eagerly awaited her at the special baggage claim at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. The plane had long since landed and been unloaded, but there was no sign of Lily.
“That was a really scary moment!” Angela recalls. “We had just bought our most expensive dog ever, and no one could tell us where she was.” With considerable persistence, the two managed to get the responsible staff to locate Lily’s whereabouts. It turned out that there was a corridor with two doors where dogs are usually placed after arrival, but Lily was not behind either of them. After the third call, it was revealed that Lily had been waiting in the corridor itself the entire time.
“They told us that they had found her, but when we asked to see her, they said that we weren’t allowed to enter that area because it was restricted.” Additionally, she needed to be examined by a veterinarian first, leaving Petter and Angela uncertain whether it was really their dog. Over three hours after the landing, Petter and Angela were finally allowed to see Lily and take her home to Slussfors. What an odyssey, fortunately with a happy ending.
She is a funny dog
Lily is a true long-distance dog, never getting tired and always wanting to move forward. But what makes her truly special is her happiness. “She is always happy and she is a very charming dog,” says Petter. Unlike Gaga, who can be stubborn and insists on finding her own way, Lily is always ready to go along with even the strangest plans.
Petter remembers: “At the Femund 2017 there was this strange checkpoint. It is a checkpoint we have been to before in the race, but this time there is another way to get into it. So first you have to pass it and go around it for like a kilometer and then you go back on another trail to actually enter the checkpoint. That is very disappointing for dogs, because they think they know where we are going, and then you are not going there. Gaga would be really pissed off, but not Lily. She is just like ‘Yeah let’s do this.’”
Although she might not be as fast as Hog or Odin, Lily’s endurance is unmatched. She never gets tired and always wants to keep running— “She is a typical finisher dog.” But she is also a bit different from the other dogs in that she has a preference for a well-prepared trail: “I think they probably have other trails in Alaska…” adds Petter.
A Great Mother and Puppy Trainer
With Lily on the team, Petter won the Femundløpet 2017 and the Finnmarksløpet 2018. She has also proven herself in breeding. Her litters might be small, but they include some of the greatest champions. Her pups with Odin or Ace have continued her legacy, including stars like Bandit and Angus. Now around 12 years old, Lily has retired from competitive racing but still enjoys participating in shorter tours, like our Day Tours. Moreover, she is an excellent puppy trainer, sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm with the raising stars.
Lily has been crucial in building our kennel, as well as bringing a smile to everyone she meets with her perpetual good mood. The long journey across the ocean was more than worth it.
Lily at the start of the Femundløpet 2017:
2018 Finnmarksløpet
2017 Femundløpet
Petter & Lily
